PROJECT ON PEACEBUILDING
Project on Peacebuilding (POP) is a program run by Most Mira and the EU Studies Center at the City University of New York. The project focuses on the history, context, and changing politics of peacebuilding in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It is now more than twenty-five years since the war in Bosnia but the economy is still struggling, the infrastructure is still crumbling, and the political institutions are still stalled in conflict. For the international community, Bosnia is the textbook case for post-conflict peacebuilding, but what has actually been achieved?
HOW DOES THE PROJECT WORK?
This weeklong course engages students in the history, political context, and processes of change in Bosnia since the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. Students participate in workshops designed to expand their understanding and knowledge of peacebuilding and its challenges, in addition to guided site visits in the region.
While most courses on the Balkans focus exclusively on the 1995 conflict and Dayton agreement, this course aims to dig deeper into current politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Whole generations of Bosnian young people have grown up in the post-conflict political context, which was focused with who and what was done during the war, but these factors do not define all of current Bosnian politics. The Bosnian diaspora who fled to Europe, US, and elsewhere, have growing influence, both financially through remittances and through social movements and political activism. Bosnia’s struggling economy has forced young people to be innovative in business and careers. There are also questions about how to make democracy work at both the local and national level. This course will explore issues of poverty, environmentalism, gender, sexuality, art, community activism, and NGO politics.
Most courses on the Balkans are located in capitals – Sarajevo, Belgrade, Zagreb – but miss the local dynamics of post-conflict politics. This course takes place in Kevljani village, Prijedor, North West Bosnia, and will be an important contrast to accounts of peacebuilding in urban settings.
This immersive experience is ideal for people (18-30) who want to learn more about the history of Bosnia and activists currently working in the region.
Now in its fifth year, the Project on Peacebulding provides the chance for learners to engage in cross cultural learning, gain experience in the field, and develop their research and public speaking skills through interactive workshops designed to challenge and engage future peacebuilders. We are keen to work with young adults of all backgrounds from Bosnia, the Balkan region, and internationally.
